EDIT: wow am i the only one who thinks attack on titan is far better than any mainstream action show or movie currently? fights, music, plot, idea and characters wise?

Okay so after i'v abandoned hollywood movies and popular TV series because i had my hands full with watching so much anime i decided to give iron man 3 a chance and it felt very underwhelming as opposed to the emotions i got from Aot or Hunter x Hunter's episodes, hell even some moments within the big 3.

i really do think that the stories, the designs and the characters depicted by the Japanese are far superior and more original than any mainstream show currently.

and if anime ever had the opportunity to showcase to the world what it really is i believe it would conquer the mainstream entertainment, and if that is accomplished we will have more shows, better animation and more stories to tell due to the budgets being exponentially increased and subsequently increasing the potential of the anime industry.
EDIT: since the replies weren't centered around one subject let me be specific and raise two questions:

1) Is anime Better than current mainstream american shows? (not in terms of popularity)
2) Will anime one day be as popular as or even surpass mainstream shows and become subsequently the mainstream media?

if it was mainstream there is no doubt it could but that's where the problem lies, it's really hard to make "cartoons" for adults mainstream because that's what everybody thinks when they see anime. the mainstream entertainments only uses cartoon for comedy shows that aren't to be taken seriously.

I used to watch a lot of anime when I was younger, I just recently started watching it again after a 3 year break. Within that period of time I had tried to watch anime again, but anime is certainly something that one has to acquire a taste for, which I had lost for a bit, it's very different from that of mainstream media. I think anime can be a bit quirky and obscure, especially compared to mainstream media, so the mainstream media just seems to resonate better with the majority. I don't think it will ever be more popular than mainstream media, but I think that at times it could be just as popular, like Studio Ghibli films have a relatively large fan base even among people who don't watch anime regularly.

If the works of Miyazaki-sensei aren't "mainstream" enough for the average person, then I have a hard time seeing them accept the more specialized, niche anime. But you just never know. The possibility for change is always there.

Yes, it could. Hollywood hasn't come up with fresh ideas for quite some time now. While some anime are repetitious, most are original ideas. Anime has even been dominating over cartoons on Saturday mornings for quite some time now. It's literally taking over the toy department shelves as well. Finally, most people have been using the internet instead of utilizing the tv. No American channel has fully utilized streaming other than selling a few on video game consoles, and only way after it's been released. Anime, on the other hand, has been easily accessible on the web. Japan doesn't just hold them back, making it easier to access. It's only a matter of time before Honey Boo Boo goes out the door.

I enjoy anime and I enjoy 'mainstream" entertainment as well. One is not superior to the other. They both have good and bad tat are enjoyable. One of the biggest thing that tends to keep anime from becoming mainstream is the cultural difference. It took me a long time to adapt to the idiosyncratic sensibilities apparent in a lot of anime. Hell half the shows I watch now I would have never given a chance 10 years ago. One thing I have seen is the influence that anime has on certain filmmakers (Guillermo Del Toro comes to mind). That influence will only grow with time just like Asian action films and directors have influenced mainstream cinema (Akira Kurosawa, John Woo anyone?) Although there is much that I love about anime there is also a lot that I don't like as well. I guess it clashes with my western sensibilities. My dream one day is to make and release a successful mature animated movie in theaters. So who knows maybe I will be one of the heralds to help change the perception.

I'm not sure that I care. I enjoy what I enjoy. and as long as I can acquire it. I'm happy. Not sure if it would be as fun with millions of others all watching the same thing. Though it would make casual conversation consist of more than weather and sports.